Combination chair and bed



Dec. m, 1935. A. s. MANDELL COMBINATION CHAIR AND BED Filed Sept. 14,19:54

) Q INVENTOR AlazaaderSfl/maell BY 65 4 6% M J AlTOR fflEYS PatentedDec. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE 2 Claims.

My present invention relates to a combination chair and bed, and amongits objects are to provide a unit which in normal position affords anentirely conventional upholstered arm chair with an upholstered seat andan upholstered back, but which by the simplest of operations can beinstantly converted for use as a comfortable bed, and can be as readilyrestored to its setting as a chair.

Another object is to provide aunit of the above type devoid of auxiliaryprops or linkages apt to jam or creak, and which in addition to thesubstantially conventional chair frame of wood, metal or other rigidstructural substance, includes only upholstered cushion units.

Another object is to provide a unit of the above type, involving aminimum number of parts, which can be produced at relatively low cost.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of various possibleembodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the article in its setting as a chair,

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the article set for use as abed, and

Fig. 3 is a view in longitudinal cross-section.

Referring now to the drawing, the article constitutes a substantiallyconventional arm chair frame including side panels l0 and H which mayhave upholstered covering thereon, said panels including arm rests l2and i3 and connected preferably by a back panel [6 preferably coveredwith upholstery, as shown which latter is provided with a forwardlyprotruding border flange I1 affording a socket within which the backcushion may be releasably supported as hereinafter set forth.

An upholstered floor cushion member I8 is snugly disposed on the fabricfloor member [5, between the side panels and against the back panel 16and is attached in place by any suitable conventional means (not shown).Said floor cushion has hinged to the forward upper edge 19 thereof aseat cushion 2|] which in the chair position of the device restsdirectly upon the floor cushion 18, the forward ends of the floorcushion and seat cushion being substantially aligned as shown at thefront of the chair. The lower face of the seat cushion 26 extends theentire length of the floor cushion and has hingedly connected to therear end thereof as at 2! the lower edge of the rear face of the backcushion 22, which is frictionally disposed at its rear face within theborder flange ll of the back I6.

As appears in Figs. 2 and 3 the upper face of the seat cushion 20 andthe forward face of the back cushion 22 are shorter respectively thanthe lower and rear faces thereof, to accommodate the thickness of saidrespective cushions, when the device is set as a chair, with saidcushions at right angles to each other. The respective cushions for thatpurpose are preferably trapezoidal in longitudinal cross-section, therear end of the seat cushion extending obliquely at 23 and the lower endof the back cushion extending obliquely at 24, both at 45 degrees to thevertical.

In the normal setting of the device as a chair, it will be seen that theuser is supported bya double cushion, the floor cushion l8 and the seatcushion 20, and the chair is not only conventional in appearance, buthas all the comfort of a conventional upholstered armchair.

Preferably the upper end of the back cushion 22 has a handle loop 25readily accessible as shown. By a simple pull upon said loop 25, thethree cushions can be extended into alignment, the floor cushionremaining in place, the seat cushion being turned over through 180degrees to dispose its upper face in contact with the floor and the backcushion is turned through an angle of degrees to dispose its forwardface in contact with the floor, as best shown in Fig. 2.

Thus by a simple direct pull, which requires no skill, the chair isconverted for use as a bed, the three cushions being aligned as anupholstered spring mattress resting on the floor. As best shown in Fig.3 of the drawing, the thickness of the seat cushion and of the backcushion is preferably greater than the thickness of the floor cushion,being preferably of thickness equal to the combined thickness of thefloor cushion l8 and height of the short legs l4 therebelow, whereby allthree cushions of the extended mattress lie in a common horizontalplane.

The article while normally used as a comfortable chair affords aparticular convenience in small apartments as an emergency guest bed. Bysimply extending the cushions as above described and supplying thenecessary bedding, a comfortable bed is afforded. It is apparent thatthe bed can be restored to its chair setting by the simple expedient ofgrasping the back cushion 22 at the forward end thereof and lifting saidmattress, in which operation, the mattress will be readily fiapped backfor the seat cushion to be superposed over the floor cushion and theback cushion is conveniently restored to its socket I! in the back panelN5 of the chair frame.

The combination chair and bed, it is seen, com- 55 prises nothing morethan a substantially conventional chair frame and three correlatedupholstered cushions. There are no hinged props, linkages or otherauxiliary constructions to add to the weight, or complexity of thedevice and there is a total absence of parts apt to jam, to creak in useor otherwise to impair the comfort of the user.

It will thus be seen that'there is herein described an article in whichthe several features of this invention are embodied, and which articlein its action attains the various objects of the invention and is wellsuited to meet the requirements of practical use.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and manyapparently widely difierent embodiments of this invention could be madeWithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A combination upholstered chair and bed comprising a chair frame,having side panels with arms and short legs, a floor and a back panel, acushion unit the entire filling of which is yielding and all parts ofwhich are fabric covered, and including an upholstered supportcushionfixed with respect to said floor, an upholstered seat cushionhinged at its lower forward edge to the a back panel having a borderflange and a threesectioned upholstered cushion unit the entire fillingof which is yielding and, all parts of which are fabric covered, saidunit including a support portion fixed with respect to the floor, a seat7 portion hinged at its lower forward edge, to the upper forward edge ofthe support cushion, and aback cushion portion releasably lodged Withinsaid border flange and hinged at its rear lower edge with respect to therear lower edge of the seat cushion, the contacting ends of said lattercushions extending obliquely with respect to the type of the supportcushion and the back panel, whereby the cushion unit may be extendedalong the floor with the seat cushion and the back cushion restingdirectly on the floorin front of the chair frame and in alignment withthe support cushion to form a bed, the thickness of the seat cushion andof the back cushion being greater than the thickness of the supportcushion by an amount equal to the height of a leg.

ALEXANDER S. MANDELL.

